The backbreaking job of pedalling a rickshaw in Bangladesh could soon be history with a local company which has come up with battery powered rechargable cycles. Bangladesh Diesel plant, an agricultural farm tool manufacturer owned by the country's powerfull army plans to lauch this electric rickshaw by the end of the year.
Rickshaw have hardly changed since their introduction in 1930s. The poor design of the existing rickshaw, which are about one million in number, takes a heavy toll on the health of the rickshaw puller as the gearing & mechanical advantage of the pedal are very poor, thus it requires to exert a lot of energy over a little slope. The existing breaking system are obsolete, there are only front breaks & while going down the hill at high speed breaking produces a catapult effect. Also the setting arrangement & luggage space is very uncomfortable. Efficient rickshaw is designed with improvised features to optimize usage.
Features:
Rickshaw have hardly changed since their introduction in 1930s. The poor design of the existing rickshaw, which are about one million in number, takes a heavy toll on the health of the rickshaw puller as the gearing & mechanical advantage of the pedal are very poor, thus it requires to exert a lot of energy over a little slope. The existing breaking system are obsolete, there are only front breaks & while going down the hill at high speed breaking produces a catapult effect. Also the setting arrangement & luggage space is very uncomfortable. Efficient rickshaw is designed with improvised features to optimize usage.
Features:
- Ample luggage space, to optimize space.
- Five speed gear.
- Back-wheel breaking along with the front wheel breaking.
- Better aerodynamics & physical features.
- Better suspension.
- It is light-weight as it is made of steel angels.
- It is estimated to have a life of about 7-10 yrs.
What is Elecsha?
On the new efficient rickshaw, another feature of “Power Pedaling” is added & this version is called Elecsha. It has the potential to provide attractive alternative to petrol & diesel powered three wheelers.
Features:
On the new efficient rickshaw, another feature of “Power Pedaling” is added & this version is called Elecsha. It has the potential to provide attractive alternative to petrol & diesel powered three wheelers.
Features:
- Battery Driven – It is completely battery driven.
- 3-Gears - It is powered with 3-gears.
- Back-Wheel Braking - It has the modified Back-Wheel braking system.
- Energy Consumption Rate - It consumes energy at the rate of about 103 whr/per km..
Elecsha is a completely battery driven Electric cycle rickshaw modifying the rickshaw by making it a 3-gear one with a back-wheel braking. It consumes energy at the rate of about 103 whr/per km. It uses 1KW DC motor, suitable lead acid batteries &a smart interface card, that can provide a suitable transportation system in urban areas Elecsha can provide environmental friendly, energy-efficient and cost-effective transport in rural and urban areas. It aims to reduce pollution and provide for large-scale employment. It has pedal assisted electric cycle rickshaw that runs on a 36 V, 100 A-hr lead acid batteries which provide a 1.3 kW PMDC (permanent magnetic direct current) motor and a smart interface card. The electric rickshaw is designed to go about 60-70 km in one charge and its running cost will be only 6 paise/person per km.
Battery charging options
- Having an onboard charger and plugging it in any electrical charger.
- Developing a network of battery-charging stations on major rickshaws.
It is a concept in which there will be battery charging stations on the prominent rickshaw stations & the electricity to power these batteries can come from any renewable power plants like biomass, solar, wind, etc., hence the elecshaw will truly be called renewable-energy transportation-system.
Benefits Of Elecsha:
- Cost-effective –Running cost of a petrol powered three wheeler is 85 paise/person-km where as the electric rickshaw running cost will be 6 paise / person-km about 14 times lesser, it runs for 80-90 km per charge.
- Large-scale employment - It gives a source of extra income to rickshaw pullers. It provides dignity to rickshaw pullers
- Energy-efficient - It could covers much greater distance in one day.
- Environmental friendly - It is non-polluting & very silent transportation system & reduces pollution.
According to the manufacturers, the new rickshaw was a novel way of easing Dhaka's traffic wooes, without hurting the income of those who earn for their living by carrying passengers around town.
These kinds of battery operated risckshaws are already doing their jobs in few counties like India, China , England ,etc. These rickshaws can be recharged just like mobile phones.An overnight charge will last a full day.
These rickshaws will revolutionize of those which are already exiting in Bangladseh without changing the very shape and size of the age-old colorful vehicle that has become as a part of the country's history.
scribbles by,
johny :)
August 25, 2008 at 8:52 PM
Hi
I think this kind of rickshaws are very good but where can I get one if Iam living in Dhaka? Regards, Dominica
malaquita@web.de